Surviving the Economic Crisis

Coping, persevering and winning in troubled economic times.

Many people have sustained heavy losses in the current economic crisis, but unfortunately the loss of job and loss of savings has resulted in people losing their self-esteem. In a precious cartoon strip, a woman who lost her job says, "If I'm not working, what am I?" Her child embraces her and says, "Mommy!" Children's minds have not been distorted to think that a person's sole value is one's ability to earn money. That is obviously of great importance, but it does not define a person.

In times like these, it is crucial that the family draws closer. Young children sense the tension, and when they ask "What's wrong?" it is a mistake to say, "Nothing's wrong. Everything's okay." They will know that this is not true, and their imaginations may run away with them. They may not be able to understand the economic facts, but if they are told, "Many people are out of work now. Daddy has to look for work," they will not imagine some impending catastrophe.

We must be on guard against acting in desperation. Some people may turn to gambling in the hope of striking it rich, others may borrow money from non-reputable sources. These are dangerously risky acts.

Insomnia and anxiety are extremely stressful, but turning to the numbing relief of alcohol, tranquilizers and sedatives risks serious addiction.

Sincere prayer and faith can be a great source of comfort. I attended a meeting of recovering alcoholics, which was a "gratitude meeting," at which each person expressed his gratitude for having a second chance in life, and how good things were now. One person arose and said, "I have been sober for four years, and I wish I could tell you that things have been good. My company downsized, I lost my job and haven't been able to find another job. My wife divorced me and took custody of the children. I was unable to pay the mortgage, and they foreclosed on my house. Last week the finance company repossessed my car. But I can't believe that God brought me all this way just to walk out on me now. I know that He has a plan for me and that one day, things will be good."

In the Sabbath morning service, we read, "God, You took us out of Egypt and delivered us from enslavement. In famine You nourished us, and in plenty You provided for us. You rescued us from the sword, and saved us from epidemics and from serious diseases. Until now Your compassion has helped us and Your mercies have not forsaken us, and You will not abandon us unto eternity."

God did not bring us all this way only to walk out on us now. He will help us in the future as He did in the past.

Dealing with Stress

Some people have never experienced a stress of this magnitude. It is important that we understand the nature of stress and what accommodations we can make.

Let me explain the "fight or flight" response, which occurs with severe stress.

Human beings are endowed with adaptive capacities for coping. The adaptive features comprise the "fight or flight" reaction, which is designed to enable escape from an assailant or to defend oneself. A number of physiologic changes occur upon the perception of a threat. Understanding these may help us better understand and cope with anxiety.

When threatened with danger, the heart rate increases sharply, in order to supply oxygen-carrying blood to the muscles. Respiration increases to inhale more oxygen and dispose of carbon dioxide. The blood supply shifts from the digestive tract to the muscles where it is most needed. The blood is diverted from the body surface to minimize blood loss from wounds. (This is the reason for pallor.) The liver discharges its storage of glucose to provide nutrients for the muscles. The coagulation time of the blood decreases to minimize hemorrhage. The pupils of the eyes dilate. The blood pressure rises as adrenaline and cortisone-like hormones are secreted into the blood stream.

It is vital to find ways to reduce the stress.

These physiologic changes are very effective in adaptation to an acute assault, whether by animal or man. They enhance the body's ability to run away or to defend oneself. In most cases, the confrontation between the attacker and victim is of brief duration. Within a few moments, one has either successfully fled, subdued the assailant, or has been killed.

The human psyche perceives a variety of threats as an acute attack. A serious threat to one's financial well-being or an assault on one's ego is taken as an attack, and the body may trigger the physiologic changes of the fight-or-flight reaction. However, in this case, they are not effective. There is no safe haven to which one can escape and there is nothing one can do to fight off the anticipated assailant. Furthermore, in contrast to an acute attack, the anxiety is not over in a few moments. To the contrary, it may persist throughout the day and night, for weeks and months. These persistent body changes may exert great stress on the body and result in physical as well as psychological disorders.

In addition to cardiovascular effects, diabetes may develop, the immune system may be inhibited, the inflammatory response may be inhibited, there may be an increase in abdominal fat, acceleration of the aging process, impairment of memory and learning, and in children, inhibition of growth. (Make no mistake. Children feel the stress of the economic crisis.)

It is, therefore, vital that one finds ways to reduce the stress.

I know what you are thinking. "Get me a job. Enable me to support my family the way I was accustomed to, and I won't have the stress." How I wish I could do so. But we cannot live with wishful thinking. Reality is what it is.

"So, now you are going to tell me I should do breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation? You want me to meditate in my condition?"

Instead of wallowing in negativity, switch to positive meditation.

You are already meditating. When you brood over the losses you have experienced, you are in fact meditating. But inasmuch as brooding will not improve your situation one iota, you are engaging in negative mediation. Since you are already meditating, why not switch to positive meditation? It can be done.

There may be a number of things you can do to adapt to your present situation, but your stress level may not enable you to see and utilize them. Meditation has been proven to be effective even in situations of severe stress. You have probably been brooding much more than twenty minutes a day. You should invest twenty minutes in meditation.

But isn't meditation a Buddhist thing, associated with oriental religions? No way! There is much in Torah literature on meditation. The Talmud states that "the pious of yore would meditate an hour before prayer and an hour after prayer" (Berachot 30b). Chassidic writings stress the importance of hisbodedut (seclusion) and hisbonenut (meditation)..

Just Rest

After an extended period of constant stress, day and night, as director of a large psychiatric hospital and emergency service, I felt I needed a vacation of absolute rest. No activities, not even pleasurable activities. Just rest.

I went to Hot Springs, Arkansas for vacation, hoping that the mineral baths would relieve my chronic back pain. I was ushered into a tiny room, and immersed in a whirlpool bath of naturally heated water. This was just the peace I needed. I could not be reached by patients, families, doctors, nurses, social workers or probation officers. After five minutes of paradise I emerged and said to the attendant, "This was great! Just what I needed!" The attended told me that I must stay in the whirlpool bath for twenty more minutes, or I would not be able to continue with the treatment.

After five more minutes I felt I had to get out of the bath. Later that day I realized that I had a rude awakening. I was able to tolerate months of constant pressure, but was unable to tolerate more than five minutes of blissful peace! Something was wrong.

A psychologist friend told me that few people knew how to relax. Most people engage in some diversion in order to relax, such as reading a book, listening to music, playing golf or doing needlework. But true relaxation is an absence of any kind of action. Diversions are fine, but they are not relaxation.

I was in contact with myself, and did not like the company I was in!

In the whirlpool cubicle, I was deprived of all diversions. Nothing to read, nothing to listen to, nothing to do. With nothing to distract me, I was left in immediate contact with myself, and I did not like the company I was in!

If one cannot sit still for fifteen minutes to meditate, it is probably because one does want to be in contact with oneself. Developing a healthy self-esteem will enable one to sit still long enough to meditate. Try improving your self-esteem. My book, Ten Steps to Being Your Best is a good beginning.

Talk It Out

The Talmud interprets the verse in Proverbs 12:25 that when one has a worry, one should discuss it with someone else (Yoma 25a). This is one of the foundations of psychotherapy. However, this does not necessarily mean to discuss it with a therapist. It is helpful to share it with a friend.

In lieu of ventilating to someone, it is helpful to keep a journal, writing down the problems. Of what value is this? It may help you get it of your mind where you have been ruminating about what has happened. Seeing it in writing may help you get a better control of a difficult situation.

Open up a "gratitude journal." You may be so preoccupied with your problems that you may lose sight of the things that you have for which you should be grateful. Too often, we take things for granted. Thank God, your children are healthy. You thank God every morning that you are alive, and say blessings of gratitude for being able to arise and walk.

And, if you think that some of your problems were brought on by mistakes you made, such as unwise investments, make a section of the journal for "Dumb things I did," and record your mistakes. That way, you don't have to keep thinking about them. You can always find them in your journal if you need to.

In spite of your hardships, you have much for which you can be grateful.

A study was done in a major psychiatric center, where depressed patients were made to exercise daily, and they were compared to patients who took antidepressant medication. The results were equal. Apparently exercise stimulates production of adrenalin-like substances which can alleviate depression. You may say that you are not in the mood to exercise. That is understandable, but this is one way of decreasing the severity of the mood.

A friend told me that when he heard and saw the attack on the World Trade Center, he went out and did some gardening. He was not callous. He said, "I felt I had to do something over which I had some control." Obviously, we have no control over the economy, and it is a terrible feeling, much like being caught in a tornado. We may regain a bit of composure by doing something we can control

Look for opportunities to help someone in any way. That is a good feeling, and good feelings extinguish bad feelings.

Laughter reduces stress. It has been demonstrated that people with serious illnesses, even cancer, have better courses of healing and recovery if they can laugh. I had a friend who had cancer. I made up with him that every day, I would fax him a joke and he would fax me one. His wife told me that this helped pull him out of depression.

Remember, stress begets stress and negative thinking begets negative thinking. Anything you can do minimize the effects of the stress will put you into a better position to cope with your challenges.

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About the Author

Dr. Abraham Twerski is a psychiatrist and founder of Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburgh, one of America’s leading facilities for addiction treatment. He is the author of more than 60 books, and lectures extensively on the topics of chemical dependency, stress, self-esteem and spirituality. For 20 years, he served as clinical director of the Department of Psychiatry at St. Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh, and was associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine. Dr. Twerski is an ordained rabbi, and traces his ancestry to the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement. Visit him online at www.abrahamtwerski.com, and his 12-step self-esteem program at www.12steps2selfesteem.org.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 10

(10)
Yehudit,
March 21, 2009 1:37 PM

How do I help?

My husband has been out of work for nearly 9 months now - he was laid off July 2008. The last five months have been the worse I have ever seen him in all the time I've known him (6 years) - and we have been married a short time (almost two years). He is very depressed over his job loss, and the unavailability of jobs in his field. It is very difficult to live in the midst of brooding and negativity. How does one help someone and also cope themselves in the midst of another's severe depression caused by these times?

(9)
Esther,
March 12, 2009 12:05 AM

need urgent advice

I am unemployed for 5 mo already. Finally I got job offer, but knowing my situation they offer me $7,000.00 less than I got on my previous job, which is average for my profession. I am affraid that it would ruin my negotiation in a future, and it's just hard to survive on what they offer me. Should I take the job?

(8)
Anonymous,
February 26, 2009 10:01 PM

Thank you for your inspiration, i like the idea of spending time to yourself without any distraction

(7)
Donna Karen,
February 25, 2009 3:49 PM

Thank you

...for the excellent advice! While much of this was reveiew, it bears repeating. Often bad feelings can beget negative self-fulfilling prophecies. You truly get back what you put out there. I particularly liked the idea about starting a journal, especially a "gratitude journal". If you dwell on what's working well in your Life (that for which to be grateful) the bad stuff seems less so.

(6)
Anita,
February 25, 2009 8:11 AM

Todah, Rabbi

Thank you for those words, Rabbi. I too am going through some major changes as a result of losing my job because of losing my sanity for a moment. Right now I don't know where my next dollar is coming from, let alone the money I need to pay rent and utilities.
I know that G-d is in control,however. I know that He is looking out for me. I know that He has a plan, and that I'm part of it. And I know that He is the one holding tomorrow. I might not like the circumstances I see myself in, but I know He is ultimately in control and praise His name, I'm not.
Anita

(5)
Anonymous,
February 25, 2009 1:25 AM

Thank you Rabbi Twerski for a beautiful article. I never thought about brooding being negative meditation, how true.
Another useful resource for many people is EFT, in which a person very gradually is encouraged to feel safe in accepting reality as reality. After they feel acceptance of the situation, they are also encouraged to think of better future options for themselves, and reframes to their current way of thinking. At the same time, one taps with ones fingertips on acupressure points - this helps the person to be more aware of their feelings, and also to be more able to inculcate more positive attitudes.

(4)
Michael Davis,
February 24, 2009 2:28 PM

Meditate on Positive

Jews have prayed for years for the end of the oppressions of exile which coincides with the rise of the empire of Esav and the return of Jews to Israel and the subsequent return to kingdomship. Why not meditate on the fact that this is happening? My main fear has been 'how might G-d sort through the good and the bad while everyone seems to be randomly suffering?' The thought that I'm not responsible for the evils of this falling world economy. I've been faithful to G-d and Israel and my mission and have serious philosophical differences with the thoughts that have led to this economy. The battle is within is common to Judaism yet hasn't been heeded by america. While chasing the world over to topple evil outside american borders the evil within was not the focus. hmmm. Any Jew I think would not have acted in this way. So don't fall victim to guilt by association.
I loved the part in the story about that the fact that people are more than just a title, a job or an act. We have value just by being there for people. Live and be blessed Jews! Live and be blessed all of Israel!

(3)
Anonymous,
February 23, 2009 4:37 PM

I'm no pro as is Rabbi Twerski. However i'm not sure that telling a child "daddy has to look for work", is such a good idea. The fact that daddy doese'nt have work can cause great distress to a child.

(2)
Zelig Pliskin,
February 22, 2009 9:25 AM

Great and important article!!!

This is a great article. It's important for everyone who is effected by the present economy situation to read it. And who isn't?
The point about meditation is wonderful. Yes, we all meditate. And the decision is ours to meditate on worrisome and distressful thoughts, or to meditate on gratitude and appreciation for all the kindness of the Almighty to us.
We can always choose to do more acts of kindness ourselves and this will enhance our bio-chemistry.

(1)
Moshe Rosen,
February 22, 2009 6:35 AM

crises being a blessing in disguise

As one of my entreprenuerial friends says, "when there is crisis, there is opportunity". This can be helpful when it comes to buying stocks at a low price and eventually selling them high years later. However, the first priority of financial stability is making sure we have enough in our savings accounts as a contingency or resource for any emergency or necessary spending.

Since honey is produced by bees, and bees are not a kosher species, how can honey be kosher?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Talmud (Bechoros 7b) asks your very question! The Talmud bases this question on the principle that “whatever comes from a non-kosher species is non-kosher, and that which comes from something kosher is kosher.”

So why is bee-honey kosher? Because even though bees bring the nectar into their bodies, the resultant honey is not a 'product' of their bodies. It is stored and broken down in their bodies, but not produced there. (see Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 81:8)

By the way, the Torah (in several places such as Exodus 13:5) praises the Land of Israel as "flowing with milk and honey." But it may surprise you to know that the honey mentioned in the verse is actually referring to date and fig honey (see Rashi there)!

In 1809, a group of 70 disciples of the great Lithuanian sage the Vilna Gaon, arrived in Israel, after traveling via Turkey by horse and wagon. The Vilna Gaon set out for the Holy Land in 1783, but for unknown reasons did not attain his goal. However he inspired his disciples to make the move, and they became pioneers of modern settlement in Israel. (A large contingent of chassidic Jews arrived in Tzfat around the same time.) The leader of the 1809 group, Rabbi Israel of Shklov, settled in Tzfat, and six years later moved to Jerusalem where he founded the modern Ashkenazic community. The early years were fraught with Arab attacks, earthquakes, and a cholera epidemic. Rabbi Israel authored, Pe'at Hashulchan, a digest of the Jewish agricultural laws relating to the Land of Israel. (He had to rewrite the book after the first manuscript was destroyed in a fire.) The location of his grave remained unknown until it was discovered in Tiberias, 125 years after his death. Today, the descendants of that original group are amongst the most prominent families in Jerusalem.

When you experience joy, you feel good because your magnificent brain produces hormones called endorphins. These self-produced chemicals give you happy and joyful feelings.

Research on these biochemicals has proven that the brain-produced hormones enter your blood stream even if you just act joyful, not only when you really are happy. Although the joyful experience is totally imaginary and you know that it didn’t actually happen, when you speak and act as if that imaginary experience did happen, you get a dose of endorphins.

These chemicals are naturally produced by your brain. They are totally free and entirely healthy.

Many people find that this knowledge inspires them to create more joyful moments. It’s not just an abstract idea, but a physical reality.

Occasionally, when I walk into an office, the receptionist greets me rudely. Granted, I came to see someone else, and a receptionist's disposition is immaterial to me. Yet, an unpleasant reception may cast a pall.

A smile costs nothing. Greeting someone with a smile even when one does not feel like smiling is not duplicity. It is simply providing a pleasant atmosphere, such as we might do with flowers or attractive pictures.

As a rule, "How are you?" is not a question to which we expect an answer. However, when someone with whom I have some kind of relationship poses this question, I may respond, "Not all that great. Would you like to listen?" We may then spend a few minutes, in which I unburden myself and invariably begin to feel better. This favor is usually reciprocated, and we are both thus beneficiaries of free psychotherapy.

This, too, complies with the Talmudic requirement to greet a person in a pleasant manner. An exchange of feelings that can alleviate someone's emotional stress is even more pleasant than an exchange of smiles.

It takes so little effort to be a real mentsch.

Today I shall...

try to greet everyone in a pleasant manner, and where appropriate offer a listening ear.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...